THE HOODED CROW 
to his underling, who was collecting the ruffled 
grey corpses of the slain. 
Between the heaving tree-tops was a patch of 
lighter sky, across which the cloud wreaths 
streamed monotonously, driven by the strong 
east wind. Half a dozen black flitting shapes 
suddenly wheeled across it, and dropped into 
an old Scotch fir, where the shade was deepest. 
" Scaul-crows ! " said James Driscoll, cocking 
his gun ; " but I'll let thim fellers have it. 
Hit the tree, Marty see would they come 
out." 
The double report of the gun, deadened by the 
roar of the storm, was followed by a chorus of 
harsh cries as the crows wheeled overhead. 
Two bodies crashed through the twigs and fell 
with a thud on to the ground below. 
" Shure that's pretty fair shootin' for this 
light," remarked the keeper, complacently, 
ejecting his empty cartridges. As he tramped 
homewards through the wood, he heard the 
rest of the crows, fighting with the storm over- 
head, cry like a flock of lost souls. 
* # % % * 
Those were the fifth and sixth of their band 
who had come to a violent end since the crows 
had left the bleak dunes of the East-country, 
some weeks before. 
Urged by hunger, and wind driven, they had 
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